In this year 5.7, the last of the fifth seven-year period of the Plan, whose Goal is the “Creative Liturgy of the Group and of the Work”, we intend to focus on the seven aspects of the seventh creative energy, which manifests as Order, Ritual and Ceremonial Magic, publishing excerpts from “The Book of Rituals”.
Today is the turn of its Fifth aspect:*
“The rituals presented here could certainly have been different. This sentence perhaps puzzles the reading disciple who, willing to commit himself with a serious purpose, discovers that the basic texts are only one of the many possible solutions, and not even the best. He would prefer to believe – and he would feel safer for it – that the tools of his work were certified, so to speak, better if guaranteed by a prestigious seal.
Instead, he must give up and accept what at first appears to be an embarrassing and uncertain situation, and which only later will prove to be, on the contrary, a guarantee of freedom and independence. The multiple is a universal law of manifest things, since the One does not find complete expression if not in the infinity of forms, each of which contains It thoroughly, but none of which expresses it perfectly.
The disciple called to perform his ritual must therefore commit himself at his best, knowing that it contains a dose of truth, but without mistaking it for the absolute or expecting it to be. It is sacred to him, because it is certainly collected from the Heavens, but there are larger Chalices that in due course will be filled with more celestial rituals. On the other hand, it must be recognised that there is no escaping getting used to making the best use of the tools at our disposal, however poor and inadequate they are, since this is really the surest way to have more worthy ones at the right time.
It is therefore good to devote oneself to performing the ritual without any doubt, as if it were perfect and powerful, since a lot depends on the way in which it is used – just as it happens with any human instrument.
***
The different liturgies, mostly of a religious nature, which helped shape the now old and crumbling order, presented themselves and were experienced as unique and irreplaceable – this has indeed reassured the faithful, but has not prevented those forms from falling apart in the dust.
Much wiser therefore to advise the System to accept and remember that any rite is always imperfect, but it contains a small jewel of truth, which is perfect.
***
There are other reasons why, while pursuing the single Rite in the heart, one is forced to use a more or less extensive plurality.
Solar space, as far as it appears from Earth, is divided into twelve recognised zodiacal sectors, each of a different quality, and those who live on this planet must be aware of this. Only the solar intelligences, namely the fiery people of Heaven, can invent and perform only one rite – so it seems.
Therefore the rituals offered here to the 16 System are twelve, one for each sign, but they could also be as many as the days of the year, or only four per century…
Another reason for plurality is provided by the solar Star, that is, the set of the seven sacred planets, whose reciprocal positions and diverse energy phases change continuously, varying in influence on the Earth and its contents. (…)
If it is true that the Sun presents a unitary rite to its planets-disciples, it is inevitable that it generates a multitude of different rites, as many as the globes involved: they are the responses of each of them to the great Appeal.
But their symbolism must be unitary, like an actual interplanetary language. In this we see the irreproachable force of the seventh divine quality, which forges many rituals to reach the Ritual.
Like grand flowers of light, all the planets worship the Sun, to whom they pay an adoration expressed in many different but interconnecting ways. The combination of all these rituals fosters and expresses solar communion.”
*****
Only in tension can the cosmic design be brought into existence. Only when all strings reverberate can the cosmic design be brought into existence. Only when the design assumes a tense form can the predestined be brought into existence. When the abutments of Cosmos sustain by their attractions the dome of the earthly firmament, the firmament can stand. But when the abutments upset the mutual attraction, the dome feels the fluctuations of unevenness. Thus, the abutments can uphold or destroy the design. The abutments can always link together the most diversified energies. The Cosmos propels its energies in accordance with polarity. The negative and positive together provide the combination. (Agni Yoga Series – Infinity I § 322)
* Today we contemplate the bright conjunction of Venus and Uranus, from the heliocentric point of view.
